Modern Family — Page 11

I liked it a lot more than the Cam directs the school play episode, which I expected to love but did not.

I also thought Lin's whole part existed for Gloria's reactions, which were perfect. In our current culture we're groomed for guest stars to be about the guest stars, this show is old-fashioned in the sense that they're here to serve the story and not be a ratings draw by playing themselves or taking center stage.

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"Quick! Quick! Give her a Bad Doggie treat!

"Let's go get something to eat." "Actually I'm going to a party." Alex leaves, Phil and Claire are sad, Haley says "I'm hungry mom." "Oh my God! She's back!" "I'm not hungry!" "Yes you are!"

Me too! I've liked some better than others, certainly, but this was the first time I was ever disappointed.

I loved it. What was unusual about this episode was that they relied more on visual gags than on dialogue. In fact, this was perhaps the most physical comedy the show's ever done in one episode and I thought that the cast did it perfectly. I think that the ending with Phil, Claire and Haley was a nice, low key kind of an ending, but it didn't have that usual "grand statement about life and family" voice over while we cut to all of the characters, so it didn't feel as wrapped up as it usually does.

On a side note, I thought that this episode was ALL about Julie Bowen. Not only was she 100% game for all the physicality she had to do (I think she's secretly the show's best physical comedian), but she played Claire's descent into a breakdown beautifully. Her scene with Phil talking about how Alex is leaving and how she lost Haley brought a tear to my eye (the way she choked on tears when said that Haley "hates me" was subtle and incredible) and almost made me reach for my phone to call my own mom. Now THAT'S powerful stuff!

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I loved the scene with Claire and Phil, and I also really enjoyed Haley's scenes with Alex- actually, throughout this whole season I've enjoyed how the writers have strengthened their relationship.

It does somewhat bother me how little variety there seems to be with Cam and Mitchell though. It feels as if every episode just has them fighting all the time.

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Namo, your post went MIA!

Were you coming to tell us the cast is on Inside The Actors Studio tonight?

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I hope they have edited Jesse's tragic faux pas out!

I love the new Lily,

"You kissed a boy!"

I also loved Gloria's, "Dylannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!" "He's not down there!"

Updated On: 9/22/11 at 11:14 PM

But that was two, unrelated 30-minute episodes, no?

The Middle episode before MF was filmed as a simgle hour and was really deadly, But even when two new episodes are put back to back I never want to be with 30 minute characters for an hour. I guess I'm just ADD!

I'm happy with back-to-back episodes, but I agree about stretching the format to an hour. I was glad we didn't spend an hour at the dude ranch.

Did anyone else think Dylan looked . . . different?